Curette with disposable band loop blade



March 24, 1970 H. E. CHATFIELD 3,502,082

CURETTE WITH DISPOSABLE BAND LOOP BLADE Filed July 10, 1967 E5. 6 9 INVENTOR.

bis-1. EN 5 62m TF/ELO A ..'a I bfl ATTGRNEK United States Patent 3,502,082 CURETTE WITH DISPOSABLE BAND LOOP BLADE Helen E. Chatfield, 1020 E. Georgia Ave., Phoenix, Ariz. 85014 Filed July 10, 1967, Ser. No. 652,135 Int. Cl. A61b 17/22 U.S. Cl. 128304 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A surgical instrument comprising a curette having a disposable single or double-edged stainless steel razor band loop blade for cutting and cleaning out cavities in tissue and as a microtome, knife, eraser and abrader.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) The field of this invention lies in dental, medical and surgical instruments and is particularly directed to curettes having a disposable stainless steel razor band loop blade.

(2) Heretofore, surgical instruments such as the above curettes were fabricated from solid handles involving a costly and slow process of forming a difficult to machine hole in the outer end of the handle shank.

Further, such a solid one-piece structure was very difficult to finish to the necessary sharp edge because of the problems getting inside the opening with a satisfactory sharpening tool.

Also, great difficulty is encountered in maintaining a consistently sharp edge during use because of the problem of getting into the solid hollowed out opening for honing and removal of foreign matter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the objects of this invention is to provide a loop blade for a curette which is quickly attached to and removed from the manipulating handle of the instrument so as to provide a sharp loop blade available at all times.

Another object is to provide a loop blade for a curette which is imbedded into a plastic handle as a completely disposable unit.

Still another object is to provide a disposable loop blade for a curette which may be formed of various desired shapes and configurations and demountably supported in the operating handle for rapid change of blade shapes during use of the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a curette incorporating the features of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the demountable spacer and blade loop device.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the spacer mounting shank for the looped blade.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a clamp type mounting shank for the looped blade.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a riveted type of mounting shank for the looped blade.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of still another form of clamp type mounting shank for the looped blade.

FIG. 7 shows the curette having a diamond shaped blade.

FIG. 8 shows the curette having an oval shaped blade.

FIG. 9 shows the curette having a point shaped blade.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As an example of one embodiment of this invention,

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there is shown a curette having a manipulating handle 10 on the front end of which is formed a suitable mounting socket 11 to demountably or permanently receive a spacer and blade loop assembly indicated generally at 12.

The blade assembly 12 comprises a spacer 13 having tapered sides 14 and 15 which are matingly related to the tapered sides 16 and 17 of the mounting socket 11 in the end of the manipulating handle 10. A band blade 18 having a single edge 19 or a double edge at 19 and 20 is bent or looped around and its end portions 18a placed against the surfaces 14 and 15 and the assembly inserted in the socket 11 at the end of the handle 10.

Various methods of securing the looped blade 18 for mounting in the socket 11 or permanently to the handle 10 are shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6. In FIG. 2 the ends 18a may be adhesively secured to the surfaces 14 and 15 to make an assembly that may be demountably placed in and removed from the socket 11 as a throwaway blade assembly or substitutable blade assembly of various confiurations as shown in FIGS. 1, 7, 8 and 9.

FIGv 4 is a clamp 21 for securing the free ends of the blade 18 for mounting on the handle 10, while in FIG. 5 the ends of the blade are riveted together by suitable rivets or brads 22.

In FIG. 6 a slip-over clamp 23 is utilized to hold the free blade ends together for mounting on the handle 10. Preferably, the spacer shown in FIG. 3 has a cut-away groove 24 to allow chip clearance for the material cut out by the blade edges 19 and 20.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes a preferred form of the invention, it is also to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement and commercial adaptation as fall within the scope of the appendent claims are intended to be included herein.

I claim:

1. A curette having in combination:

(A) a manipulating handle having a mounting socket including a pair of outwardly diverging tapered sides at an end of the manipulating handle,

(B) a wedge shaped spacer having tapered sides matingly related to the tapered sides of the mounting socket in the end of the handle,

(C) a band blade having cutting edges along the sides thereof bent into a loop and the ends of the blade placed against the tapered side surfaces of the spacer, the assembly being inserted axially in the socket with the spacer securing the blade ends against the tapered surfaces of the socket.

2. A curette as in claim 1 wherein the wedge shaped spacer includes a cut-away groove in the outer larger end of the spacer and within the loop of the blade to allow chip clearance for the material cut away by the blade edges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 618,521 1/1899 Palmer 128304 928,011 7/1909 Whitlock 128-304 2,308,162 1/1943 Frank 30329 2,331,732 10/1943 Ryzmek 128-304 2,741,028 4/1956 Carter 30329 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner RICHARD J. APLEY, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 3040.1 

